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(8-24)
Kelly Strafe resigned her commission with the Space Force, joined the team at Cosmo Solartec, and boarded an Ibid craft for her voyage back to Planet Earth, all before nine o’clock in the morning. The rapid pace of this event-chain made her head spin. Yet she was confident in deciding that an escape from the claustrophobic confines of life in her Mars colony made good sense. She had run into headwinds that threw her career as a military officer off course. Now, by exiting the paradigm of service and obedience altogether, she could do things that were truly important and meaningful.
No one came to see her off, before departing. She had become an orphan. Yet this new status brought her a sense of hope.
The Ibid carrier was more than simply a shuttle for traveling between points in the airless vacuum that surrounded worlds in their solar system. It boasted capabilities that were impressive for a vessel about half the size of a Morningstar-class ship. Though slower overall, it could reach distant planets in a reasonable amount of time. What a Larman transport needed a full year to accomplish, it could do in four weeks. It had the capability to perform defensive maneuvers, and in the skilled hands of an experienced pilot, to survey and study alien environments for observers seeking knowledge. She intended to reach the North American continent, locate Evergreen Estates, and discern whether her erstwhile, university cohort had survived his abandonment. Beyond that, work for the fledgling employer would keep credits in her account. As they prospered, so would she, until a better venue arrived.
After powering up the Gibidan impeller, she half expected some kind of raid. Perhaps a strategic interruption of the flight plan she had programmed. The promises of Commander Hornell Block meant little, in view of her new reality. Yet there was no hindrance offered to her launch from the dock. The away signal flashed on her viewscreen, and then, inertia slammed her back in the seat. She had both hands on the joysticks. Background stars twinkled as the ship lunged forward.
The station controller’s voice barked from her dashboard, in a synthetic monotone.
“Ibid-C, you are cleared to leave the space dock. Good vibes to you. Be well, and safe!”
A hum of generators glowing with energy made the metal hull buzz. Strafe checked her course settings, and steered out of orbit. She locked in the coordinates for Planet Earth. Then, let the automated programming take over.
“Roger that, home base. Here’s hoping I find things in good shape on the other end of my journey. I’d hate to go all that way just to be disappointed. We’ll see what happens...”
The C-drive of larger, newer ships could be tracked across long distances. This made them easy to identify when approaching. But Ibid propulsion did not generate the unique, high-pitched squeal of Cloitanium reactors. So, as Kelly Strafe journeyed toward the origin point for humanity, she was cloaked in a measure of invisibility. Only when in close proximity could her transport be identified with low-tech radar.
While under the control of automatic guidance, she busied herself leafing through data sets that had been cataloged from their first mission, on the Morningstar III. There were many pages of scans and photographs. Each one offered evidence of the culture that had birthed their own civilization, on the red globe. She was intrigued by the diversity of Old Earth. Its variations were incredible, considering the unsophisticated nature of their evolutionary curve. They had sired many languages and traditions. Yet still found reasons to fight each other, and spill human blood. This barbaric tendency was one that cursed the blue world. It made mankind suspect among the stars. A violent, hulking giant, not to be trusted or admired.
As she read through entries on the magnetic disc, a chirp of salutation sounded from her com-link. The notification repeated until she answered by clicking on a message icon.
“Lieutenant? I regret not being able to address you with that rank, any longer. Please accept my apologies for the discipline which was necessary. I would have preferred that you offered a confession of liability, and made amends with the leadership on our high council...”
Strafe cleared her throat and laughed out loud. She recognized Admiral Corel Nauga from his distinctive brogue. Something picked up from colonies beyond their own homeworld.
“FUCK YOU, SIR! I DON’T HOLD ANY MILITARY RANK NOW! SO, YOU CAN POLITELY KISS MY LITTLE, ROUND ASS!”
The top-tier commandant was speechless.
“I understand that you might feel combative, Kelly. But it would be helpful if you approached this situation with a bit more contrition.”
The demoted officer shrieked and cackled like a sorceress.
“CONTRITION? AFTER YOU WRECKED MY CAREER? C’MON, ADMIRAL! YOU KNEW COMMANDER BLOCK WAS INVOLVED. BUT THAT WAS FORGOTTEN. YOU LET HIM SLIDE! AND NAILED ME TO THE CROSS, INSTEAD!”
Nauga breathed heavily, and drummed his fingers on the control panel.
“An outdated metaphor, to be sure. Block notified us of your intentions with the Morningstar. He was heroic in staying true to his oath of loyalty. You were on the fringe. You deserved to be reprimanded. I just regret that it cost us a prime candidate for promotion...”
Strafe was amused to the point of turning red.
“PROMOTION? IS THAT A CARROT YOU WANT TO DANGLE IN FRONT OF ME?”
The admiral kept his composure.
“I mean that sincerely. Your talent is obvious. It always has been.”
His deposed warrior shook her head in disbelief.
“Well, I’m on the team with Cosmo Solartec now. It doesn’t matter. You both got what you wanted, or maybe you didn’t. If your desire was for kneeling and begging, then sorry, I’m not that kind of woman! This isn’t the puritan era, right? We have liberties in the 22nd Century. We make our own decisions. Our own choices. Men don’t command us, any longer!”
Nauga choked on his own breath. He had run out of words to exclaim.
“So be it then, I’ll leave you to your adventure. My regret is sincere. You were an asset to us, I hate to surrender valuable officers to private industry. It makes us all weaker. I wish you goodwill and the protection of a loving creator...”
His former lieutenant switched off her com-link. Then roared with defiance.
“SHOVE IT, ASSHOLE! SHOVE IT WHERE OLD SOL DOESN’T SHINE!”
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